Thursday, June 3, 2010

Recently, I had the great pleasure of talking again with Sci-Fi Writer/Director/Producer Patti Beninati of Centerboro Productions and Are U Trippin Films about her upcoming Sci-Fi TV pilot called DMAN, and about her many upcoming projects. She has many things on her plate that will definitely make many of you Sci-Fi fans out there squeal with utter happiness, believe me!

Without further ado, I'm letting you read up the interview!

Q: Last time we spoke you were hard at work on many projects but specifically on an upcoming Sci-Fi TV pilot called DMAN. What stage is the project now at?

PB: In the coming weeks a sneak peek of the “DMAN” TV Pilot Trailer will be shown exclusively on Twitter first. We are in talks with a network discussing the TV series and the Pilot itself. That news will be announced sometime in June.Q: Can you tell the readers a bit more about DMAN?

PB: DMAN (Sci-Fi//Intrigue/Action): A female scientist works with an FBI agent and together they investigate a slew of bizarre crimes and explore unexplained telekinetic phenomena until the arrival of Q7, a telepathic shapeshifting alien from another dimension, who discovers that it all may be part of a larger interdimensional conspiracy. The concept is like The Fugitive meets Fringe meets Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and the genre is Sci-Fi Supernatural Drama.

FX shot of the other Dimension - Q7's homeworld

Q: Will we see any familiar faces when the project gets picked up?

PB: Yes, casting for “DMAN” will have many of the faces that appear in today’s most popular Sci-Fi TV shows. We are very interested in David Richmond Peck who played Georgie on the ABC series ''V'', and we are also interested in David H. Lawrence, who plays evil so well in NBC's ''Heroes.'' In fact, it will also star an actor from a prime time TV show as well.

Q: Will we get to see some of the finished product soon? Any plans for the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con for example?

PB: We will also be appearing at San Diego Comic-Con unveiling some exciting news and featuring a Trailer on “DMAN” and “KYLE YOUNGBLOOD” which is like a quirky X-Files meets Eureka, TV Pilots.

Q: I know you have more Sci-Fi projects coming up. Anything you can share with us?

PB: We have a sci-fi movie of the week, two TV pilots and two features, that we’re working on right now for 2010.

Q: You have also been tapped to act as producer on the upcoming ‘’V’’ movie. Will the movie be closer to the 1980s TV miniseries and series or is it based on the recent re-invention?

PB: Yes, I have been hired on as a producer by the great Writer Director Kenny Johnson [http://www.kennethjohnson.us/] to assist in securing funding and casting. I’m so excited and honored to help Kenny on the legendary sci-fi story V. It has a global appeal and is loved by fans all over the world. V is not just about an alien invasion, but more about oppression. I will do anything I can to help him tell that story of oppression so well expressed in V. The V TV show now currently airing on ABC, I believe will only help propel more fans to see the upcoming feature.

Q: Can you tell us how you came on board as producer and if that will be a first for you?

PB: I have been a producer on other TV shows, but V is the first feature for me. Looking forward I will be writing, directing, and acting as a producer on other already planned TV and film projects with our new company Centerboro Productions, co-owned with my partner Michael K. Anderson who is also a Writer Director and a Producer.

Q: You have been very much interested and invested in the NASA space program, how has your involvement played up?

PB: Yes, I’m deeply honored to have helped NASA secure Brent Spiner for the new 20th Anniversary Hubble Documentary. Brent Spiner, who is most well-known for his amazing role as Commander Data, in Star Trek: The Next Generation, had a ball doing the narration at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, located in Pasadena California. To have been involved with a Star Trek actor and the NASA space program is mind boggling to me. Currently, I’m in talks with NASA, on helping them with other projects and on a new feature filmwhich is about a NASA Astronaut who saves earth from an imminent alien invasion called THE NEWCOMERS, that I hope they will sponsor. I recently attended the STS-132 Shuttle Launch and NASA Tweetup on May 13-14 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This was the STS Atlantis shuttle orbiter's last mission. There are only two shuttle launches remaining, due to President Obama's recent controversial decision to kill the moon funding for NASA Constellation, Ares, and Orion space programs.

Sci-Fi Writer/Director/Producer at the NASA launch with a NASA Astronaut

Q: Back to you as a writer, can you tell us how difficult it is to write Sci-Fi?

PB: I write all genres, but writing sci-fi for me is a dream come true. My partner Mike and I are working on some horror, fantasy and disaster movies, that are so much fun to write. Lately, I’ve been writing about different dimensions and what if scenarios. My upcoming TV pilot “DMAN” was originally inspired by Dr. Michio Kaku, (http://mkaku.org/home/) a theoretical physicist, best-selling author, and popularizer. In fact, Michio and the Science Channel are now embarking on a second season of his hit show SCI-FI SCIENCE: Physics of the Impossible.

Q: Anything else that you can say to the readers?

PB: I see that many of the new network sci-fi TV shows appear to be securing low ratings and are in danger of not being renewed, while the cable stations like the SyFy Channel shows seem to be soaring. I truly believe it’s because the cable hit shows take more time to develop the characters, which are so compelling to audiences. Additionally, I think the cable stations do a great job in adding in more realistic action and they keep it flowing throughout the episode. That keeps the audience in a nail biting state throughout the whole season. This is what I have done with “DMAN” and all the shows we are currently developing. I want fans to say when they watch our shows WHAT IF that happened?

What if indeed! Though I have no doubt that DMAN will be a complete success. I also agree with Miss Beninati's point that genre shows seem to be having more problems on mainstream TV channels but are doing better on specialty channels such as SyFy.